Breadcrumb Navigation

Safe at Home

The Safe at Home address confidentiality program was created by Substitute House Bill 359 (131st General Assembly) to assist victims of domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking, rape, or sexual battery by shielding their personal information from public record and providing them with a safe and secure way to participate in our democratic process. Program participants are assigned a substitute address designated by the Secretary of State’s Office to serve as their address.

The substitute address is intended to help program participants shield their address from public records. Additionally, Safe at Home allows a program participant who is eligible to vote to register without his/her voter registration record appearing in public voter registration lists, and to vote absentee without his/her residence address being compromised.

Victims must apply in person to participate in the program only through a certified Application Assistant. An Application Assistant is defined in the law as “…an employee or volunteer at an agency or organization that serves victims of domestic violence, menacing by stalking, human trafficking, trafficking in persons, rape, or sexual battery who has received training and certification from the secretary of state to help individuals complete applications to be program participants.” (R.C. 111.41(A))